Abstrakt: | The paper, preceded by a brief introduction, contains an edition of an anonymous
print entitled Modlitwa o zachowanie czystości (A prayer for the preservation of purity).
It was conventionally dated to the second half of the 18th century. The introduction
depicts the socio-moral and religious context of the prayer and argues that
the genesis of the text is strongly connected with the described ci rcumstances. The
author of the text also paid attention to the genre pattern of the prayer and compared
it with similar writings occurring in contemporary prayer books.
The volume includes: the text of the title prayer, enumerated admonitions regarding
benefi ts of chastity and the ways of its preservation, as well as dangers that
a virtuous lady should avoid. Introductory remarks, explanations and comments,
which were added to the texts of an unknown author, helped to fully understand the
old print. They also describe the structure and purpose of the collection, and discuss
its elements, which are characteristic of catechism, parenesis, and the examination
of conscience.
The Prayer for the preservation of purity occupies a signifi cant place among
enlightenment prayer prints. In fact, it is quite an extensive collection of persuasive
texts entirely dedicated to one particular virtue. Its form, corresponding to the
prayer genre, was designed to strengthen the importance of the textual message included
in this print and to give the texts catechetical and educational meaning. Th e
collection was not published in self-editing form, nor was it added to any prayer book at that time. It may be assumed that chastity, as a virtue, was not so important
and not promoted, for example, in young aristocratic and noblewoman’s education. |